That we may awaken to live to the full, the dream of the earth, who chose us to emerge and incarnate its hidden night , in mind, spirit and light. – John o’ Donoghue

Imbolc marks the beginning of Spring in the Celtic tradition. It is a time of rebirth and new hope. The earth stirs from its winter slumber, the hard frosts thaw, the first green buds and shoots appear, bringing with them the promise of transformation.

Brigid the ancient triple Goddess, is celebrated on Lá Bríde – ‘Brigid’s Day at Imbolc. She stands on the threshold of spring invoking the archetypal energies of healing, creativity, imagination and poetry, as well as symbolising the alchemical fires of the forge and of transformation. She is said to breathe life into the mouth of the dead winter. In the Celtic tradition, in Samhain, the Cailleach, the old hag of winter, made her descent into the underworld to incubate the seeds of the new life. These are the seeds that will emerge at Imbolc, (meaning ‘in the belly’) in the Celtic spring.

On this Day retreat we will light the fires of imbolc once more and we will journey inward, attuning to the stirring in our own underworld. We will connect to our place in the cycle of the seasons listening to the ancient wisdom that is held within.

During our ‘Deepening the Senses’ Day Retreats we deepen into the world of the senses – awakening a more grounded authentic connectedness to ourselves and bringing conscious awareness in our bodies to our presence in the world. We will awaken our own creative wellspring, by learning to attune more deeply to our senses, drawing on the wisdom of Brigid, of mythology, dreams and the external landscape, attuning to the aliveness in our bodies, learning to listen to the wisdom that is held within. So often in our lives, for many reasons, we listen more to our thoughts than we do to our embodied selves. When we learn to connect to our bodies it talks to us in the language of sensations, letting us know how we really are in every moment. When we learn to connect inward we learn how to support ourselves more fully in our lives.

This is work that draws on psychotherapeutic theories and practices from a Embodied/Gestalt approach, Attachment and Jungian perspectives.

When we listen to myths, if we let ourselves step into their world of poetry and imagination, we step out of the rational concrete patriarchal world of our time and into the symbolic life. In this way we become receptive to our inner environment, and the energies of life and the archetypal patterns living through us.

During the retreat we will spend time indoors and outdoors exploring that sensory embodied connection. The day will be a mixture of myth, dream work, meditation and Art work as well as poetry and gentle mindful movement. The day retreat will provide a nurturing space with time to let go of everyday commitments and attune to ourselves.

There will be free time to walk in the lovely sensory garden at the centre, or rest in the sanctuary itself by the log fire. It is a day of connection to the self, a day to celebrate the healing creative power of Brigid and a day for deeper nourishment and enjoyment in a beautiful tranquil setting.

A nourishing hot two course lunch as well as freshly baked scones, tea and coffee, are also provided.

The aim is to create a warm atmosphere where we will awaken the senses, meet like-minded people, deepen our understanding of ourselves and explore the sensual in our everyday lives.

Prior experience of body work and personal therapy work, whilst desirable, is not essential.

This is your body,

Your precious gift,

Pregnant with wisdom you do not hear,

Grief you thought was forgotten

And joy you have never known – Marion Woodman

Awake your spirit to adventure;

Hold nothing back, learn to find ease in risk

Soon you will be home in a new rhythm,

For your soul senses the world that awaits you. – Benedictus – John ODonoghue

Retreat Venue:
The retreat takes place at The Sccul Sanctuary, Clarinbridge, Co Galway . Directions to the Retreat Centre will follow upon booking.

The Retreat Package:
The package includes 6 hours group facilitation, 2 course lunch, teas and coffees and home baked scones are provided. A certificate for 6 points CPD is available.

Booking:
The full day workshop retreat costs 120 euro. Early booking is advisable as places are limited. Full fee is payable on booking to secure your place. Places are only secured once payment is received.

For further details and to make a booking, please contact Eileen at teallach1@gmail.com or phone 087-7126271. Gift voucher available on request.

‘I believe in all that has never yet been spoken

I want to free what waits within me

So that what no one has dared to wish for

may for once spring clear’ – Rilke

TESTIMONIALS FOR DEEPENING THE SENSES RETREATS

“Eileen was a wonderful magical facilitator. It was so well thought through, very gentle, imaginative, knowledgeable, safe, nurturing. It takes excellent facilitation to allow so many different people to open up in such a short space of time”

“It was amazing, just amazing”

“so glad i came…lets do more”

“Eileen has an excellent style – gentle yet in control, understanding, great sense of humour/fun, rich in knowledge, everything is from the heart”

“I cannot recommend this wonderful retreat enough. Deepening the Senses and the pleasure of meeting Eileen was life changing”

“Money can’t provide the space created for us to deepen. Its the beautiful connection offered by the facilitator. Much appreciated Eileen.”

“Go, just go, you won’t regret it..trust me”

“I felt i could be myself, very at home surrounded by beautiful people and landscape. Thank you Eileen for sharing and giving me so much”.

Teallach

Teallach is the gaelic word for hearth. The hearth was of central importance in Celtic society. The cottage was build around the family hearth. Turf burned continuously there day and night. This was a symbol of family continuity, where many traditional crafts were carried out. It provided warmth and nourishment and was a gathering place for story-telling and music, it symbolised an open place for hospitality to all. When it went out, it was said that the soul went out of the people of that house therefore it was only extinguished on the first of November - the traditional day of Samhain. Then people would gather together to light large fires on sacred hill tops in honour of and to make offerings to the gods. In both pagan and Christian cosmologies ,fire is representative of the illumination of mind and spirit and of divinity.